


Running With the Hunted

by maltesecaptainfalcon



Category: Game Grumps
Genre: F/M, Gender Issues, Genderqueer Character, Transgender
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-18
Updated: 2014-03-18
Packaged: 2018-01-16 05:37:18
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,951
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1334038
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/maltesecaptainfalcon/pseuds/maltesecaptainfalcon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Thanks very much to the Skype chat that helped me plot out this topic. We might not be around in the same way any more, but your help meant a lot. <3</p>
    </blockquote>





	Running With the Hunted

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks very much to the Skype chat that helped me plot out this topic. We might not be around in the same way any more, but your help meant a lot. <3

Barry rubbed his eyes after hitting “export” on another series, looking blearily at the clock. Just past 5:30 in the morning, still on Arin and Suzy’s couch. He thought about just setting his head down and falling asleep right there, but the thought of his own bed, a shower in the morning and making a big afternoon breakfast for himself were winning out. He grabbed his keys off of the coffee table and headed outside.

He wasn’t supposed to be going home, technically. He and Danny had an “arrangement.” With a bit of a warning, either of them would crash on the Hanson couch so, as Danny would put it, “we can have girls and, y’know, make some noise.” He’d been requesting nights to himself way more often lately. _He's such a sex fiend,_ Barry laughed to himself. But even the legendary Danny Sexbang couldn’t still be up and anywhere but his bedroom by the time he got home.

A short drive down the empty California streets later, Barry arrived, unlocking the door as quietly as he could. Dan left the TV on, if the flickering window was any indication. _I’ve always got to be the responsible one,_ he thought to himself as he walked into the kitchen, _I should probably—_

Barry couldn’t finish the thought. Dan Avidan was on the couch, bathed in the blue glow of a TV he’d fallen asleep in front of. Barry’s roommate and friend was wearing a black dress with a floral-patterned skirt. He was clean-shaven, face made up somewhat inexpertly. Black Mary Janes, once on his legging-clad feet, rested on the floor next to him. Barry held his breath. Through the surprise, the only coherent thought he could get out was _how did he find those shoes in whatever size he is?_ Any other time, it would’ve made him laugh.

But Barry knew he had to leave, and he had to leave quietly. Dan wouldn’t want him to find out like this, and Barry didn’t want to scare him. He backed up a step and felt his elbow bump something, something that slid backwards with the push. Too late to catch it, he realized a glass of water was falling off of the kitchen table.

With a loud crash, his hopes of escaping without being noticed shattered into shards of glass and splashes of water on the kitchen floor. Heart racing, Barry could hardly bring himself to turn back from the damage to look at his friend, now sitting up on the couch, curled up like he wanted to disappear into its corner. Red lips quivered. Lined eyes welled up with tears. They just stared at each other for too long, neither able to say anything.

Barry had to fight to get words out. “I’m sorry.” He wished he could sound assertive, confident, instead of his stupid mumble. He wanted Danny to understand the next words were true. “It’s okay, it’s okay...” He took a few tentative steps towards Dan. When he took his first shuddering sob, the steps weren’t tentative any more. Barry cleared the distance between them in just a few moments.

Barry put his arm around Dan and held him close to his chest. They sat like that for a few minutes, Dan getting out all the tears while Barry stroked the tangled mess of his hair and repeated in a whisper, “It’s okay, you’re okay. It’s alright to cry. I’m here.”

Dan looked up at him, black streaks under his eyes where his mascara ran, messy hair covering almost all of his face. But he was smiling, even if it was just a little bit. Barry returned it and said, “I’ve got something for you. Follow me.” He stood up and gave Dan a pull to help him stand. Barry led Dan to his room, holding his hand the entire time. Dan sat down on the bed while Barry fished around in his bedside table, finally pulling out a couple of pink hair clips. He handed them to Dan. “You can use these to keep the hair out of your face.”

“Thank you,” Dan said, and Barry realized it was the first thing his friend had said since he got home. His voice was measured, quieter than usual. He smiled again, wider this time. “How did you even get these, anyway?”

Barry just smirked. “I’ll never tell.” He put a hand to the back of his own head and scratched. “Hey, Dan, I’m really fucking exhausted, I was editing all night...”

Dan looked crestfallen. “Oh, right,” he said, trailing off and standing up to leave.

“Don’t go.” Barry put a hand on Dan’s arm. “You don’t have to go. If you don’t want to. You’re not alone.”

As the sun rose over Burbank and the rest of the world woke up, Barry held his friend close under the covers as they slept away the day.

-

Barry flipped the omelet, breaking it again. _Four straight is its own kind of skill,_ he thought to himself. _I’m Barry Kramer, Destroyer of Omelets. All shall tremble before me._

Dan had just come out of the shower. His hair was looking a lot better — some fan had taken pity on his mop and sent some nice products to the P.O. Box. He was wearing jeans and a t-shirt and had a hot cup of coffee — absurd amounts of dumb flavored creamer, like he liked it — immediately pressed into his hands by Barry.

The Destroyer of Omelets brought a plate of toast and his tortured breakfast creations to the table and sat down. They sat in silence for a moment, clink of forks and knives as they got some much-needed sustenance.

Barry looked across the table and met his friend’s eyes. “You don’t have to talk about anything. I want you to know that. Everything’s just between us.”

Dan’s eyes had a way of looking a million miles away when he was thinking. He took a sip of his coffee to buy some time. “I do. Want to talk about it, I mean.”

They finished their breakfasts and sat down on the couch with their cups of coffee. Barry said first that Dan should wear whatever he wants and feels comfortable in around the house. He didn’t have to send Barry away any more, he was one hundred percent comfortable.

“How’d you even get like this?” Dan asked. “Like, why are you so cool about me?”

Barry replied, “You’re my friend, you’re always cool.” He winked and made a finger pistol and a clicking noise with his mouth, which got a laugh out of Dan. “I was a theater kid. I’ve hung out with folks on every end of every spectrum. They’re the fun ones, anyway.”

That answer seemed to work for Dan. He explained that he wasn’t sure what he felt for most of his life. He’d collect women’s clothes to wear when he was alone — only ever when he was alone — but always ended up so ashamed that he’d throw everything out.

“Man, I used to go to a laundromat and take people’s dresses and shit from the dryer.” Dan sighed and raised his voice. “How fucked up is that?”

“You do what you have to, man. Sometimes I get a water cup and fill it with Sprite.”

This is how they worked for days. Dan would, every once in a while, work up the courage to tell Barry something or talk to him about it. Barry would just listen and always try to make Dan laugh so he didn’t panic too badly.

-

“I’m going to go to Arin and Suzy’s tomorrow wearing...you know.” Dan shifted uncomfortably, pushing his hair out of his face. He’d been letting it grow out for a while now.

“I’m really proud of you, Danny. That’s awesome.” Barry paused for a moment and smiled to himself. He leaned in towards Dan. “Can I see?”

Dan looked a bit taken aback. He exhaled, puffing out his cheeks. A curly mess of hair fell in his face again. “Yeah.”

Barry sat on the couch and waited. He reasoned that seeing him now would make him less worried about what he was was going to wear tomorrow, more willing to go through with it.

And maybe he was being selfish and just wanted to see again. That’s a definite possibility.

Dan took a ridiculous amount of time. _It’s understandable,_ Barry thought. Last time he got caught off guard. Now he had to work up to it.

Finally he heard the creak of the door, and Dan emerged in front of him. Before even thinking, Barry stood up and walked up to him, so he wouldn’t feel like he was being ogled from the couch. After the instinctual response he got to really look. He was surprised by how natural Dan looked. His eyes were ringed with dark liner and brown eyeshadow bloomed from the lids. Heavy mascara made his long lashes full. On most people, it would look overblown. But Dan Avidan was a goddamn rockstar, and his striped tank top (with the outline of breasts caused by a bra underneath), leather skirt — he’d shaved his legs — and high-top Chucks all worked together on his lanky frame. Barry watched him standing, smiling self-consciously with an hand on his hair, and, for a moment, was so lost he couldn’t think of what he meant to do.

He came around. He reached into the pocket and pulled out the hair clips he’d given Dan on the first day. “You forgot these. They’ll keep it out of your face.” Barry stepped up to Dan, so close he could smell the subtle perfume of his conditioner, and clipped his friend’s hair back. While Barry’s hands were working, Dan said, tentatively, “Do you think I’m...”

Barry left his hands on the sides of Dan’s face and met his gaze directly, having to look up a little. “I think you’re beautiful.” They looked, searching each others’ eyes for some guidance, Barry’s heart racing faster than he expected. Dan closed his eyes, gathered breath and, just like that, leaned in and gave Barry the lightest, tenderest kiss he’d ever received. He felt the gloss on Dan’s lips as he lingered for just a moment after. Their foreheads rested together as they both smiled, laughed a little and looked at each other. “I think you’re beautiful, too.”

Soon their lips were upon each other again, faster this time. Dan bit at and sucked Barry’s lower lip. They moved together until Dan’s back hit the wall, Barry pressing up against him. Dan’s arms were around his back, clutching him close, like he needed Barry touching him to survive. Barry moved down from Dan’s lips to his neck, pushing a strap of his tank top away with his chin and kissing the spot on his neck. Dan’s sounds of a approval were enough to get him to keep going, working with tongue and teeth to paint red spots that would soon turn blue and purple, marks that would remind both of them that this was real, this had happened.

Dan’s hands fumbled at Barry’s jeans, pulling them down his legs where he awkwardly kicked them off. Dan bit his lip, seeing the erection obvious in Barry’s boxers as he slid them off of his hips. Barry stopped kissing Dan’s neck long enough to watch him lick his hand seductively. He hadn’t even meaned to, but he moaned at the sight. As Dan began to work the hand up and down Barry’s dick, getting him slick, Barry reached his hands under the back of Dan’s tank top to begin pulling it off.

“No,” Dan said. “Leave it on, if that’s okay.”

“Of course.” Barry leaned back in to kiss him, working with his tongue this time, exploring and feeling so very close to Dan. Barry’s hands snaked up the inside of Dan’s thigh, up his skirt. He felt the outline of Dan’s erection, straining through the lace of his panties. He applied pressure onto the shaft, pushing with three fingers through the fabric, top to bottom, top to bottom. The grunts that evoked in Dan were too much. He leaned his mouth right up to Dan’s ear and whispered, pausing between Dan’s strokes on his own erection. “I want to,” he breathed, “do more to you. Is that okay?”

Dan just bit his lip and nodded. Barry led him by the hand to his bedroom again, but this time with a much different intent. They stood there, Barry whispering in his ears, “Take off your skirt. Take off your panties.” Dan complied as Barry grabbed the lube from his bedside table and coated his hand with it, giving his erection a few pumps to get it slicker, too.

He pulled Dan down onto the bed, on top of him. They kissed deeply as they faced each other, and Barry slipped one finger inside of him. Dan’s breath came hot and quick out of his nose when one finger became two. As Barry worked and searched and finally, with three fingers inside Dan, found the perfect spot and pressed, the time for kissing was over. Dan couldn’t stop himself from closing his eyes and moaning.

Barry looked up at him, his wild hair pinned back, his beautiful lashes, his mussed makeup. He _was_ beautiful, otherworldly. His strong jaw and full cheekbones just served to make him look like something beyond gender, just pure sexual power. “Do you want me inside you?” Barry didn’t have to say it loud. He never needed to be loud with Dan.

“Oh, god, Barry, yes, yes, please...” He lowered Dan onto him, teasing him for just a moment, before entering in full. “You’re so tight, Dan.” The both of them breathed heavily, thrusting onto each other, hands traveling over every bit of each other’s bodies they could reach, Dan’s eyes shut with pleasure, Barry’s looking at all of his thin frame. “How fucking beautiful.” He said it, more to himself than anything, but it was enough. Dan came, shooting out over Barry’s stomach, roaring to orgasm with shouts and moans.

Barry wasn’t long after. It was too much, it all hit him at once and he just shut off with pleasure, making some guttural noise he couldn’t control as he felt the electricity course through him.

Dan collapsed on top of him. They sat there, breathing heavily and holding each other, neither wanting to get up to clean up yet, neither wanting the moment to be over.

-

They knocked on the door to Arin’s house, Dan wearing the outfit he’d prepared. Barry had — after making sure it was okay — let them know what was going on. They wouldn’t be surprised. Danny still held Barry’s hand for support.

Both of the Hansons came to the door at the same time, smiling broadly. Arin was first to step up, taking Dan into a warm embrace. “It’s good to see you, buddy.”

Suzy joined in, making it a big three-person hug. “You look really great, Dan.”

Dan recorded Grumps as usual. Barry sat up late at night in bed, Dan asleep on his chest, editing the episodes they filmed. His voice sounded a little nervous. He was talking a little faster than normal. But he was okay. As he waited for a video to convert, he pulled a blanket up over Dan’s shoulder. Everything was going to be okay.

They worked like that for a couple of months. Dan gradually getting comfortable enough around them that he dressed as he wanted full-time. As Dan started asking them to use the name Danielle and female pronouns, even Ross didn’t say anything stupid. Barry had done his homework and been sure to sit everyone down and answer their questions patiently, and he’d been sure Dani found a good therapist to see regularly. He was starting hormones next week. He could feel her excitement every time they talked about it, every time they kissed.

But there was another barrier to get over first. Dani had taken a few weeks off of Grumps to get a little separation. After a couple of series with Stamper, Oney and even a long-discussed guest appearance by Notch, it was time for her to come back.

They sat down in the Grump room to start the day’s recording. Barry held her hand, and Arin had a reassuring arm on her knee. The TV sat on the title screen of Braid.

-

He dragged the first part of the recording into Premiere, listening to his girlfriend speak. This went before the intro.

“Hey, lovelies. I’m really glad to be back. I have something really important I wanted to tell all of you. I’m, uh, I’m transgender. What that means is I’m, uh —“ she hesitated a little bit.

“You’re a badass, is what you are.” Arin filled in the space. He was good at that.

Dani just laughed it off and talked again, resolve renewed. “I’m a woman. Uh, I prefer the name Danielle, but Dani’s cool too and, like, ‘she,’ ‘her,’ and ‘hers.’ It’s been a really long time getting here. I’ve been running from it all my life. And I’m so very happy that I met Barry and Arin and Suzy and Ross and the whole Grumps family that’ve really helped me...stop running.” A pause. Barry remembered squeezing her hand then. “So yeah.”

Arin’s voice, now. “You wanna play some video games?”

“Totally.”

After that, he put the new intro into the timeline. When Barry first saw the new grump face Arin had drawn for her, he felt a rush of emotion and pride. Pinning back the wild mess of her hair were two pink clips.


End file.
